Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Making coffee mixes

Sometimes, especially in the evening, I like to have a cup of coffee but I don't want to make a whole pot. That's why I love the General Foods International Coffees. (I think they're now Maxwell House coffees.)

Anyway...........

While I was online one day looking for a way to purchase the GFIC for a lower price, I came across this site with recipes to make a few of their flavors myself. So of course I had to give it a try. Since the Cafe Vienna is my favorite, that's the one I tried.



Here's the recipe from Top Secret Recipes

Cafe Vienna
  • 1/4 cup instant coffee
  • 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon Coffee-mate creamer
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1. Grind the instant coffee into powder using a coffee grinder.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in a sealed container.
3. To make the coffee drink, measure 2 tablespoons of the powdered mix into a coffee cup. Add 8 ounces (1 cup) of boiling water and stir.
Makes 9 servings.



Now, with me being me and all, I didn't make it quite like the recipe says. It wasn't on purpose or anything like that. I wasn't paying attention and measured my first two ingredients incorrectly, then tried to figure out what I actually had done, then tried to adjust the remaining ingredients based on zero knowledge of what I did with the first two. Perfectly clear, right?!

Regardless, it still tastes pretty good. The next time I make it, I'll add more cinnamon, though. Oh, and I'll actually follow what the measurements are supposed to be. *sigh* One thing I changed (on purpose) was that I used Splenda instead of sugar. Even if I wasn't using the zero calorie sweetener, I would probably opt for powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar, just to keep my mix more consistent. 

If you try any of the recipes, let me know what you think. And if you change them up, let me know that too.

Monday, February 26, 2018

A finish

This year, for the second year, I am participating in a group effort of Year of WIPs. (If you don't know, a WIP is a Work In Progress. It is often confusing keeping up with what these acronyms mean in different areas of our lives.)

Anyway, at the beginning of the year, I chose 18 WIPs - because it's 2018 - in hopes of getting them all completed this year. I chose some that I knew would be no problem, some that will challenge me, and some in between.

Well, over the weekend, I got one of my pieces finished.


I started this in February of last year as part of a Facebook group, Freebie February. I made some mistakes that only served to frustrate me, so I sat it aside...........and mostly ignored it. I decided to finally push through and get it done as part of this year's challenge.

I'm thrilled!

This is my third piece from my YOW list to have completed. I guess I could take pictures and show the other two that I've finished. Duh! But what finishing three already means is that I'm going to run out of the easy-to-finish pieces soon. Eek! Then I'll just be left with my challenge pieces.

If you would like to stitch this, the pattern is free at here.

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Wait just a minute...................

How can I be out of yarn when I'm not done yet?


Isn't this supposed to work like not being out of money if I still have checks?

Saturday, February 10, 2018

It's a new year....

Okay, it's mid February. We are well into a new year, but still........

Each year, instead of resolutions, I like to choose a focus word. This year I've chosen 'DO'.

I spend so much time with ideas running around in my head and buying things to make those ideas a reality, and then they sit there.

Waiting.

Getting buried under the supplies of other new ideas.

And nothing.

I hope to change that this year.

So here I am............doing.........posting again.

I have been cleaning out my dungeon and have managed to DO a few things because I've come across the supplies again.

Huh!

Imagine that!

But it does cut into my cleaning time.

I made these earrings out of Bratz doll shoes:


I have no idea why this popped into my head as a must-do thing, but it did. So I finally got around to DOing it.

Honestly, it feels good.

It also feels good to be cleaning up my craft room. There is stuff in there that I question why I ever hung onto it. Am I the only one that does that?

I also finally hung a shelf in there. I've been contemplating it for ages and I finally just did it.

It thrills me.

Is this why people are known to say adulting is stupid?

Because a shelf being hung on the wall rocks my world?

I suspect it is.

I did have a huge accomplishment at the end of last year.

I finished my oldest cross stitch piece. It's a Norman Rockwell and it was 25 - 30 years in the process.

No lie!


Some of the detail:


Now that leaves the oldest unfinished piece in my collection somewhere around 24 years old. I guess I'd better get to it too.

Oh, and if you're so inclined, check out my videos on YouTube..... you can find my channel at Taryn Verleye